The following are items that someone in the Barton community thinks might be of interest to others in the community. These may include activities, events, observations -- whatever. If you've got something to share, email barton@mpls.k12.mn.us.

Grant Workshop at Metropolitan State University

Saturday, June 26, 2010 9:40 AM

The Grant Training Center
Professional Grant Development Workshop
Master the techniques of writing superior and winning proposals
Proposal Writing I: July 19 - 21, 2010
To be held at:
Metropolitan State University
St. Paul, Minnesota

This intensive three-day grant proposal workshop is geared for: 1) those who wish to strengthen their grant writing skills and 2) beginners who wish to acquire and master the techniques of preparing, writing and winning proposals from various funding agencies. The center of attention will be on how to effectively tell the story that leads to funding, be it for the researcher in the sciences and social sciences, educator and non-profit professional.

Participants Will Learn How To:
 Comprehend the diversity of the grant funding community
 Research and identify potential funding sources
 Create the right fit with the funding agency
 Address the guidelines of proposals
 Identify and effectively write the key elements of a proposal
 Integrate each component of the grant into the final product
 Develop focused and realistic budgets
 Package professional grants submissions

Workshop fee: $595.00, including tuition, materials, certificate of completion, and continental breakfast. Rebate of $50.00 per person is given for two or more registrants from the same organization.

Twin Cities Girls Chorus

Wednesday, June 02, 2010 7:35 AM

Is there a girl in your household that just can’t stop singing? If so, then the Twin Cities Girls Chorus is the place for her! With creative music, inspiring instructors and exceptional performance opportunities, TCGC provides the perfect environment for any young singer to grow. Audition night is Monday, June 7, 5:00-6:30 PM at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 3901 1st Ave So, Minneapolis. For more information and to sign-up for an audition time, visit www.tcgchorus.org/join.html.

Rosefest is an East Harriet neighborhood festival which takes place just down the street from Barton Open School at Lyndale Farmstead Park. The July 17 event is both a community building activity and a fundraiser for the neighborhood and its programs. Activities planned between noon – 7:00 pm include tasty food and beverages, carnival games, pony rides, dunk tank, inflatables, live bands, classic auto show, puppet show, antique fire engines, information booths and much more!

Many volunteers are still needed - if you can help, please contact Deb Schirber at info@eastharriet.org or 612-824-9350 for more information or to sign up to volunteer that day! You can also visit our website, http://www.eastharriet.org/-rosefest.html to submit your time and event preference directly online.

The Association of Multicultural Scientists (AMS) is a campus organization dedicated to improving the representation of minority scientists within the University of Minnesota system. We understand the desire to pursue a scientific career is instilled early in a child’s development. To initiate this, we would like to introduce the possibilities of scientific careers, while engaging children in scientific based experiments. We hope that by introducing science based career options, and by providing a fun learning atmosphere, we can spark a scientific interest in grade school aged kids.

The FREE 2010 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) Academy will target elementary and middle school students (ages 8‐12 years). The event will consist of hands‐on science experiments and projects, a brief lunch break along and an entertaining science show. We hope the students will have fun learning scientific concepts while being instructed by university students. Our goal is to motivate students to consider the sciences as a viable option for career goals. More info...

Saturday, June 5, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Coffman Memorial Union Great Hall, University of Minnesota

The Minneapolis Public Schools have launched a Facebook profile in addition to the Twitter feed that was introduced in August. Fan and follow us to receive additional news and updates from MPS.

Project SUCCESS for students going into 9th grade

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 7:30 PM

Project SUCCESS is pleased to work with the Minneapolis Public School District to design a four-day event this summer, aimed at helping all 8th graders successfully transition to high school. The activities will take place August 23rd - August 26th and the entire event is at NO COST to students and families, thanks to the Minneapolis Public Schools.

If a census taker knocks on your door, please answer and respond accordingly. A census taker is a person from your community who is hired by the Census Bureau to make sure that your neighborhood gets represented as accurately as possible. The census taker’s primary responsibility is to collect census information from residences that have not sent back their 2010 Census form. The census taker will ONLY ask the questions that appear on the census form. Your answers to these questions are 100 percent confidential. Learn more...

School Board Candidate Forum

Tuesday, May 04, 2010 6:10 AM

The Minneapolis Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party will host a Minneapolis Public School Board candidate forum event on Thursday, May 13, 2010. The candidate forum, dubbed “School Board Voices & School Board Choices,” will feature candidates running for two citywide and three of the six newly created district seats.

For the first year, voters will have the opportunity to vote for candidates to fill both citywide and newly created district seats. There are six district seats, drawn to correspond with Minneapolis Park Board districts. In its first year of phase in, three of the total six seats are up for election this November. Two citywide seats are also open for election this year.

School Board Voices & School Board Choices will take place at Sanford Middle School, 3524 42nd Avenue South, Minneapolis. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., and the forum will run from 6:30 to 8:30. Forum moderator is Ann Alquist. The event is free and open to the public. This event will be video live-streamed online during the forum. The link will be available on the Minneapolis DFL website: www.mpls.dfl.org. The forum will be available to view online shortly after the forum concludes.

Click, Clack, Moo, Cows that Type

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 7:25 PM

The Doreen Cronin book begins, "Farmer Brown has a problem. His cows like to type. All day long he hears, Click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety, clack, moo." From this ominous beginning, poor Farmer Brown must learn to deal with his cows on a more than casual basis, especially when their typing becomes a list of demands.

Jennifer Kirkeby brings her unique humor to the script, joining forces with Stages Theatre Company alumnus, Composer Jake Rowan. Perfect for all ages, this world premiere production begins April 16 and ends May 16.

Arts for Academic Achievement fundraiser

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 4:00 PM

You are invited to a breakfast celebrating arts integration in the Minneapolis Public Schools. This free, one-hour event is an opportunity for members of the district, community and parents to come together and support arts-based learning for our students. You will hear and see how arts-integrated curriculum is used to teach students the love of learning, to explore their world through unbridled access to the arts, and to apply themselves in ways they never have before.

Start with the Arts!Tuesday May 18th, 2010
Registration Begins at 7:00am, Program Starts at 7:30am
Nicollet Island Pavilion
Free parking provided in the adjacent lot.

A hands-on, intensive course in learning how to make a parade at HOBT and in the streets. Join the May Day Staff Artists to envision, build and rehearse the May Day Parade. We will learn how to build and perform large puppets and masks, stilt (for those who are interested), play parade music, and engage playfully with a parade audience. This is a unique chance to be a young apprentice to professional artists who are some of the top parade artists in the country. Also, FUN guaranteed! Details...

The Minneapolis Public Schools on April 20 and 22 will host informational meetings to provide community members with the opportunity to learn more about the three proposals for right-sizing district headquarters. These proposals were presented to the Board of Education on March 23 and at a public informational meeting on April 8. At the upcoming meetings, representatives from each of the three firms under consideration will detail their proposals and provide the community with an opportunity to ask questions. More...

Art Show & Haiti Fundraiser

Tuesday, April 13, 2010 7:20 PM

Barton 4th Grader, Oliver Scher, is having an art show at the Hair e tic hair salon at 4301 Bryant Avenue South. Please join us for an opening night fundraiser for Haiti on April 17, 2010 from 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. T-shirts and posters as well as original art work will be for sale with half of all proceeds going to the relief effort in Haiti.

Minnesota Council for Gifted and Talented Meeting

Monday, April 12, 2010 7:45 PM

The Minneapolis Chapter of MCGT is going to have a meeting on Monday, April 26 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. It will be held in the auditorium of Burroughs Community School:

1601 W. 50th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55419

Karl Bunday, President of the Minnesota Council for Gifted and Talented, will give a short presentation about summer options for gifted kids. This will be followed by a chapter planning meeting. If you would like to have input in the direction our chapter will take, please come (we won’t be able to provide child care).

Housing and Services: Putting the Pieces Together for Young Adults with Disabilities

Thursday, March 25, 2010 7:55 AM

Monday, April 12, 2010 from 7:00pm to 9:30pm

Learn how to creatively combine housing options and supports that will help your young adult with a disability live as independently as possible. Parents will learn how a variety of housing models, services, and supports can be tailored to the their youth with a disability. By reviewing three real-life stories illustrating decisions made by people with developmental and mental health disabilities, participants will gain a clear picture of how housing options can work. More info...

School Lunch Film Screening

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 10:45 PM

The National Public Health Film Festival at the University of Minnesota will host a free screening of School Lunch: What Parents Should Know about Food and Fitness at School (20 minutes) on April 9, 2010. Learn about the nutrition problem in lunches at Minnesota public schools. Watch as schools and families develop innovative ideas to battle lunches made with processed, high-fat food and minimal physical activity at school.

Every 10 years, the government reports the number of people who live in the United States by conducting a count called the census. This count is required by the U.S. Constitution. Everyone should be counted – all children, babies and adults who live in a household should be counted, regardless of nationality, citizenship status, race, age or gender.

Census information is completely confidential. Some people worry that the information they provide could be used against them. However, census information is never shared with other government agencies, including the IRS, any office of immigration or the FBI. Sharing census data is a federal offense. More...

Stages Theatre 2010-11 Season

Monday, March 01, 2010 2:10 PM

Stages Theatre Company (STC) announces the 2010-11 season for children and young adults, with the selected titles celebrating families and friendships. The new season begins Sept. 24 with the classic Newbery Honors winner, Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White, and concludes Aug. 7 with the family-favorite Annie.

REI — YMCA Camp Day

Saturday, February 27, 2010 2:30 PM

REI in Bloomington, Maple Grove and Roseville will host YMCA CAMPS & DAY CAMPS on Saturday, March 13, 2010 from 10 am - 2 pm. Learn more and talk to the YMCA Camp Staff -- experts in Teen Wilderness Adventures (ages 12 - 18), Overnight Camps (ages 7 - 17) and Day Camps (ages 4 - 14). YMCA Camps are committed to helping campers achieve their full potential and character development with a greater understanding and enjoyment of their natural environment. Meet the staff and see videos about camp life. Get $25 off your overnight or teen wilderness camp session by registering at this event. Contact number: 612-822-2267

Summer Camp Info Day at REI

Saturday, February 27, 2010 12:30 PM

Stop in REI between 1pm and 4pm on 3/6/2010 to talk with local camp representatives about the summer camp opportunities available and discover what camps or summer programming might be right for a child in your life. This is an open house style event, so stop in anytime.

750 W American Blvd
Bloomington, MN 55420
(952) 884-4315

Minnesota Parent's Camp Fair

Friday, February 26, 2010 9:10 AM

Minnesota Parent's annual Camp Fair offers help finding the best summer activities for children -- from day camps to sleepaways, from arts to computers to horses and more. Explore more than 50 vendors ready to help you make a decision!
Saturday, February 27, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Como Zoo and Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Dr., St. Paul
FREE

Family Resource, United HealthCare Children's Foundation

Friday, February 19, 2010 9:30 AM

UHCCF is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity that provides medical grants of up to $5,000 for costs associated with medical services and equipment. In 2009, UHCCF provided 451 medical grants, so children could receive medical services, such as speech, OT/PT, medical equipment, (wheelchairs, hearing aids, and orthotics). UHCCF is looking to help more MN children. Parents and legal guardians can learn more, view the application criteria and apply on the UHCCF web site, www.uhccf.org